Potato-slicer.



No. 7Il,088.

(l0 Model.)

. Patented Oct. l4, I902. W. H. WEAVER.

POTATO SLICER.

(Application filed July 18, 190i.)

2 Sheets-SheeLl.

No. 7n,oss. Patented Oct. l4, I902.

w. H. WEAVER. POTATO SLICEB.

Application filed July 18, 1901,) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM I-I. WEAVER, OF OOLFAX, WASHINGTON.

POTATO-SLICER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,088, dated October 14, 1902.

Application filed July 18,1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colfax, in the county of Whitman and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Potato-Slicer,of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved potato-slicer for cutting potatoes into long narrow slices for frying; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive machine for slicing potatoes which may be readily secured to a wall or other suitable support, which will occupy but little room, and is thoroughly efficient in operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a potato-slicer embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same, taken on a plane indicated bythe line a a of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the hopper. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the slicing-knife. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the spring which operates the plunger, showing the yoke-link which connects the said spring to the said plunger.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a hopper 1, which is here shown as struck up from sheet metal and as provided with the bottom 2 and the vertical sides 3. In the sides 3 are formed horizontallydisposed guideways 4.. The front ends of the vertical side walls of the hopper are outturned to form flanges 5 6, and the flanges 6 of one of the said walls, which I will term the inner wall, are formed with stops 7 on their front sides, the said stops 7 extending reversely with relation to the said flanges 6. A pair of guideways 8, which are disposed one above the other, are secured, respectively, on the upper and lower sides of the hopper, at the front end thereof, and the said hopper is at the outer ends of the said guideways. The latter have their inner ends secured to a base 9, as at 10. As here shown, the base 9 is a rectangular board or plate of suitable size, adapted to be screwed or otherwise secured Serial No. 68,825. (No model.)

to a wall or other suitable support. The base may, however, be of any preferred construction. The rear end of the hopper is supported by a bracket-arm 11, which projects from the base 9.

A reciprocating frame 12 operates in the guideways S and across the front end of the hopper. On the inner side of the said reciprocating frame, at the outer end thereof, isa knife 13, which is here shown as a rectangular plate of steel, the inner edge 14 of which is sharpened and forms the cutting edge. A series of blades 15 project from the outer side of the cutter-blade 13, near the cutting edge of the latter, and are adapted to subdivide the slices cut by the blade 13. On the outer side of the frame 12, at the inner end thereof, is a plate 16, which forms the gage to determine the thickness of the slices cut by the blade 13. The respective inner ends of the blade 13 and outer end of the gage-plate 16 overlap each other, as shown. On the outer end of the gage-plate is a bar 17, which is transversely disposed with reference to the frame 12. A hand-lever 18 is connected to the said bar 17 by a bolt 19, which operates in a slot 20 in said hand-lever. The said bolt has'a nut 21 on its outer end, which bears against the outer side of the said lever. The lower end of the lever 18 is fulcrumed by a bolt 22 to the outer end of a bracket 23, which is secured to the lower portion of the base 9 and projects outwardly therefrom. A standard 24 rises from the outer end of the said bracket and bears under the lowermost guide 8 and is connected thereto at a point under the hopper 1. The said standard serves to strengthen the guideways 8 and the connection between the hopper and the base.

In the hopper 1 is a plunger 25. The same is provided at its ends with rearwardly-extending guide wings 26, which operate in the gnideways 4 in the side walls of the hopper. A spring 27, which is preferably of the form shown, has its lower end secured to the rear side of the standard 24, at the-lowerend of the latter, and preferably by the bolt 2:2,which forms the fulcrum for the saidlever. The

upper portion ofthe said spring 27 extends through a slot 28 in the bottom of the hopper, and the said spring has at a suitable distance from its upper end a hook or similar device 29 on its front side, which is engaged by a yoke-link 30, that is pivotally connected to the plunger 25. Hence the said plunger is connected to the said spring 27. The latter presses the plunger toward the front side of the hopper. The hook-and-link connection between the spring and the plunger enable the latter to be readily detached from the said spring and be readily withdrawn from the hopper when necessary to enable the interior of the hopper and the said plunger to be cleaned. It will'be understood that the spring 27 operates in the slot 28 and that the upper end of the said spring, which projects above the hopper, enables the plunger to be drawn rearwardly in the hopper in order to place a potato in the hopper. The plunger presses the potato forwardly against the inner side of the gage-plate 16 and with its outer end in the path of the blade 13, so that when the latter is operated by the lever 18 a slice is cut from the outer end of the potato, as will be understood, which slice is subdivided by the blades 15. The stops 7 prevent the slices from movinginwardly toward the base 9 with the blades 13 15 and cause the slices to be discharged at the outer end of the frame 12, as Will be understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-,

1. A potato-slicer having a hopper with a slot in its lower side, a frame supporting the hopper, a cutter operating across the mouth of the hopper, a plunger in the hopper, said plunger and hopper having coacting guides, a spring secured to the frame, operating in the slot in the lower side of the hopper and having a hook near its free end, and a link attached to the plunger and detachably connected to the hook, substantially as described.

2. In a potato-slicer, the combination of a supporting-frame, a hopper supported thereby, having guide-grooves in its side walls and a slot 28 in its lower side, guideways at the outer end of the hopper and secured to the frame, a reciprocating frame in said guideways, and having a cutter-plate and a gageplate respectively on its inner and outer sides at its opposite ends, a stop projecting from one side of the hopper at the outer end, to eject the slices cut by the cutter-plate, an operating-lever, connected to the reciprocating frame, a plunger in the hopper having guide-wings engaging the guide-grooves in the side walls of the latter, a spring operating in the slot 28, said spring having a hook and having its upper end projecting above the plunger and forming a handle, and a link attached to the plunger and detachably connected to the hook, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. WEAVER.

Witnesses EMILY I-IALLETT, STANLEY HALLETT. 

